Monthly Archives: December 2006

Last Friday, we celebrated Christmas Dinner with our carpenters because they were leaving for Lithuania last Saturday. I made “Ribbe” (Loin Rib of Pork).

The pork loin was rubbed in salt and pepper and left in the ref for 2 days. I placed this 4.5 kilo pork loin in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes at 230 degrees and poured about half a liter water on the pan. After 30 minutes, took off the aluminum foil and recuded the heat to 200 degrees and left it in the oven for 2 hours. The top was turning brown faster than the sides so I had to cover the top with aluminum foil while I waited until the sides were brown.

I place the meatcakes (medisterkaker) and christmas sausages (medisterpølser) the last 20 minutes. I served ribbe with surkål and rødkål , potatoes and chilled Danish Akevitt. It is also usual to serve lingonberries (tyttebær) but I am not so fond of it.

Here is how I made the sauce. Got the water and fats from the pan and placed it in a casserole. Melted norwegian goat cheese and added cream (Fløte) and flour to thicken it.

This is my dry run for Christmas dinner. I think I will be fine on Christmas eve.

Surkål and Rødkål – I had to buy these from the grocery. Afterall, I do not think anyone who knows me expect wonders in the kitchen from me.

Santa Lucia Day celebration is a tradition that Norway inherited from Sweden. It is the festival of lights. The girls are dressed in white…

… the boys are also dressed in white with white pointed hats with stars….

Tatyana and friends waiting for the procession to start.

Tatyana dressed up as Lucia. It is customary a girl would wear a crown of candles and followed by the other girls wearing white gown. I do not think they use real candles anymore these days. They use lights with batteries (like tatyana’s crown).

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the procession. It was dark and there’s a limit what a phone camera can do.

Christmas is a special time of the year for me. It is not because of the gifts or shopping. You see so many smiling faces and people are nicer (or maybe I am less observant before the season). People are more giving and forgiving.

When I was living in the Philippines, I was looking forward to the midnight mass (16- 25 dec), the smell of chestnut, rice cakes after the mass and the food in the kitchen. Yes, I was even looking forward to the children who come to sing christmas carols, irritating they may be sometimes.

We have our small traditions here too. At 19:30, my family gather around to see christmas tv. This year, we are watching “Jul i Valhall” (Christmas in Valhall). It is a danish christmas series on TV2. After, we change the TVnorge and watch the hilarious “Jul i Tøyengata.” (Christmas in Tøyen street) We are childish, yes.

Pepperkake is one thing that we always have during this season. Since I am really bad at baking, I buy boxes of them.

Some parents, make their own julekalender. We bought ours. Kids open a window from first of december to the 24th of december. They get a toy, candy or chocolate.

I have taken the christmas decorations from the storage but I have not started putting them up yet. I hope I would soon before christmas is over. Hohoho!